Door control



H. BOWDEN DOOR CONTROL Nov. 26, 1957 Filed Aug. 26, 1954 H/'// 80 wden nited This invention relates to a door contrel and more specifically prevides a device for controlling a mevabledoor during the opening and closing mevement thereef in order te prevent the door fr=em hitting the door frame with a violent damaging impact.

An object of this invention is te provide a door clesing apparatus that initially resists eutward mevemcnt of the door and resists inward mevernent of the door during closing thereof, thereby preventing slamming of the door and pesitiening the door in its normally closed positien.

Another object of the present inventien is te provide a door closer having a detachable cennecten wherein the door Will move freely during pertions of its movement and will be retarded during ether portions of its movement. Still .a further object of the present inventien is te pro vide a door closer having means for adjusting the resistance te mevernent of the door and yet permittng relatively normal operation of the door.

Other important ebjects of the present invention reside in its simplicity of constructien, ease and eflciency in use, easy installatien, its adaptability for its various purposes, and its inexpensive manufacture.

These, tegether with ether ebjects and advantages Which will becerne subsequently apparent, reside in the details of c-enstructen and operation as more fully hereinafter des-cribed and claimed, reference being had te the accempanying drawing forrning a part hereof, wherein 1ike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the stationary pertien of the door cleser in its extended pesitien with the door open;

Figure 2 is a top plan sectional view showing the details of censtruction of the door cleser together with the brackets attached te the door, with the door being in clesed pestien;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially aleng sectien 1ine 33 of Figure 2, shewing the details of constructien of the slidable bracket;

Figure 4 is a detail elevatienal view with pertiens breken away showing the details of construction of the detachable connection between the bracket and the piston red; and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along sectien line 55 of Figure 2 showing the details of constructien of the adjustment valve.

Referring new specifically te the drawing, it will be seen that the numeral generally designates the door closer of the present inventien for use in conjunctien with an enclesure 12 having a pivetally meunted door 14 therein that is epened and clesed during nerrnal use of the device such as a cabinet, house door, or any door on a muchused device.

The door closer 10 includes a generally elengated cylinder 16 having a closed end that is pivotally meunted to a right angular bracket 18 by pivet lugs 20 and pivet Patent 28 having a sealing ring 30 pesitened annularly around the periphery of the piston 28 for engaging the side walls of the cylinder 16, thereby substantially sealing the piston 28 te the cylinder 16. The inner end of the piston 28 in its innermest pesition centacts an annular sheulder 32 which forms an inward limit for the mevement of the piston 28. A piston red 34 is rigidly attached to the enter face of the piston 28 and extends outwardly through an opening 36 in the end of the cylinder 16. A cempressien spiral col spring 38 is pesitioned between the surface of the piston 28 and the end wall of the cylinder 16 in surreunding relati-en te the piston red 34 for continueusly urgng the piston 28 towards the closed end of the cylinder 16. The spiral spring 38 will be cellapsed into substantially a cylindrical member with the coils of the spiral being disposed within each ether when the piston 28 is moved tewards the aperture 36 in the cylinder end wall whereby the spring 38 eccupies a very small pertien of the space within the cylinder 16.

The piston red 34 is provided with a pair of oppesitely dispesed, longitudinally eXtendii1g slidably engage with greoves 42 in the end wall of the cylinder 16 and a prejecting annular fiange 44 is fermed integrally with the end wall of the cylinder 16 and forms a Continuatien of the opening 36 in the end wall of the cylinder 16. The enter end of the peripherl flange 44 is provided with inclined er spiral seats 46 that extend a-cress the enter ends of grooves 42 slidably receivng the longitndinal prejectins and terminate at sheulders fermed by faces 43 extending radially thereof. Projectiens 40 preclude rotatienal inevernent of the piston red until snch time as the inner ends of the longitudinal projectiens 40 move outwardly through the greoves 42 and again engage and ride up the inclined seats 46 en the enter end of the peripheral flange 44.

The inner end of the cylinder 16 is provided with an up standing lug 48 en the upper surface thereef having an aperture 50 therein and a screw threaded valve member 52 having a tapered groeve 54 therein for adjusting the inlet and discharge of air into the interior of the cylinder 16 during mevement of the piston 28, thereby retarding and centrolling the metien of the piston 28 by adjusting the slot 54 in relatien te the passage 50, and centrolling the passage of air threugh the opening 50 inte and out of. the cylinder 16 in an ebvieus mnner.

Secured te the movable door member 14 is a braclet 56 having nturned edges 58 ferming a channel shape for slidably receiving aplate 60 having twe projecting arms 62 thereen with a transverse bar 64 interconnecting the enter ends of the arrns 62. A generally U-shaped spring rnember 66 is dispesed alengsde the plate 60 for urgng the plate 60 teward ene side of the bracket 56 and the U-shaped spring 66 is provided with a leoped central pertien 68 which enhances the 1esiliency of the spring 66. Gne leg of the U-shaped spring 66 engages the edge of the bracket 56 and the ether leg of the U-shaped spring 66 engages the side edge of the plate 60, thereby urging the plate 60 toward the enter edge er free edge of the door 14 and the enter edge of the bracket 56.

The enter end of the piston rod 34 is provided with a transverse spiral slet 70 extnding invvrdly frem the enter end there0f and being substantially the same thick projectiens 40 which ness as the transverse bar 64 for engagement with the bar for detachable interlocking connection between the Dar 64 and the piston rod 34, thereby interlocking in a detachable manner the bracket 56 and the piston 28 whereby the initial opening movernent of the door 14 and the final closing movement of the door 14 will be controlled by the door closer 10.

In operation, the transverse bar 64 is engaged in the spiral slot 70 substantially as shown in Figure 2 wherein the door 14 is in closed position. Upon outward movement of the door 14, the piston rod 34, together with the piston 28 will be moved outwardly and prevented trom rotating by the longitudnal projections 40 riding in the longitudinal grooves 42. As soon as the longitudinal projections pass thr ough the grooves 42, the inner ends of the longitudinal projections 40 will ride up the inclined seats 46 on the peripheral flange 44 inasmuch as the spiral groove '70 engaging the transverse bar 64 will rotate piston rod 34 together with the piston 28 a limited amount until the transverse bar 64 is disengaged from the slot 70. The distance between the inner ends of projections 40 and the last loop of spring 38 is less than the length of flange 44 at the terminal edges of seats 46 whereby the final outward movement of piston rod 34 will be limted by compression of said spring during rotation of the piston rod in one dire etion due to engagement of the ends of the projections 40 With the inclined seats 46, and the shoulders 43 will limit rotation of rod 34 in the other directon. After the bar 64 is disengaged, the door 14 may be pivoted either way without resistance and upon reclosing of the door 14, the transverse bar 64 will engage the slot 70 which has remained in the sarne position, and inasrnuch as the slot 70 is spiral and the bar 64 engages the edges thereof, the piston rod 34 will again be rotated for aligning the longitudinal projections 40 with the gro-oves 42, thereby permitting the spring 38 to urge the piston 28 inwardly of the cylinder 16, and cushoning the final closure of the door 14. The limited pivotal movement of the cylinder 16 permitted by the spring 24 and the stop member 26 together with the limited sliding movernent of the plate 60 permitted by the spring 66 will retan the detachable conneetion between the plate 60 and the piston rod 34 in correctly orientated position. Obviously, the device may be con structed of any suitable material and used in any particular use requiring a device of this character.

The device of the present invention is especially useful in controlling the noise and vibrations of a closing door as well as preventing injuries such as broken fingers. Also, the device may be used on refrigerators and other similar enclosed devices in order to prevent accidental captivity of persons in such devices.

From the foregong, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood, and fnrther explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accorclingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A door closer comprising a stationary cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder, a piston rod extending outwardly through one end of said cylinder, a bracket mounted on a movable member, means detachably interconnecting the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and said bracket for retarding the movement of said movable member, said interconnecting means includng a spiral slot in the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and a transverse bar mounted on said bracket and positoned in said slot when said movable member is in a predetermined position whereby the piston will be drawn outwardly when the movable member is displaced from said predetermined position, and

means for permitting rotary motion of said piston rod when in its ontermost position.

2. A door C1OS comprising a stationary cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder, a piston rod extending outwardly through one end of said cylinder, a bracket mounted on a rnovable n1ember, means detach ably interconnecting the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and said bracket for retarding the movement of said movable member, said interconnecting means including a spiral slot in the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and a transverse bar mounted en said bracket and positioned in said slot when said movable member is in a predetermined position whereby the piston will be drawn outwardly when the rnovable mcmber is displaced frorn said predeermined position, and means for permitting rotary m0tion of. said piston rod when in its outennost position, said means for permitting rotaton including oppositely disposed longitudinal projections 011 said piston rod, oppositely disposed grooves in said one end of said cylinder slidably receiving said projections, a pair of spiral seats extending from the outer ends of said grooves for permitting limited rotation of said piston, thereby permitting said bracket and piston rod to be disconnected, said seats retaining said piston rod in extended and orientated position fox receiving the bar in the spiral slot when the bracket and piston rod are moved toward each other.

3. A door closer comprising a statonary cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder, a piston rod extending outwardly through one end of said cylinder, a bracket mounted on a movable member, means detachably interconnecting the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and said bracket for retarding the movement of said movable member, said interconnecting means including a spiral slot in the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and a transverse bar mounted on said bracket and positioned in said slot when said movable member is in a predetermined position whereby the piston will be drawn outwardly when the movable member is displaced fron1 said predetermined position, means or permittng rotary moton of said piston rod when in its outermost position, and a compression coil spring positioned between the piston and the end of the cylinder in surrounding relation to the piston rod for urging the piston inwardly.

4. A door closer comprising a stationary cylnder, a piston slidably mounted in said eylinder, a piston rod extending outwardly through one end of said cylinder, a bracket mounted on a movable rnernber, means detachably interconnecting the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and said braeket for retarding the move1nent of said mova'ole member, said interconnecting means including a spiral slot in the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and a transverse bar mounted on said bracket and positioned in said slot when said movable member is in a predeterrnined position whereby the piston will be drawn outwardly when the movable member is displaced from said predeermined position, means for permitting rotary motion of said piston rod when in its outermost position, and an adjustable valve for permitting controlled passage of air into and out of the cylinder, thereby cushionng the movement of said piston.

5. A door closer comprising Z stationary cylnder, a piston slidably mounted in said eylinder, a piston rod extending outwardly through one end of said cylinder, a bracket mounted on a movable member, mezms detach ably interconnectng the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and said bracket for retarding the movement of said movable member, said intereonnecting means including a spiral slot in the outwardly extending end of said piston rod and a transverse bar mounted on said bracket and positioned in said slot when said movable member is in a predetermined position whereby the piston will be drawn outwardly when the movable member is displaeed from said predetermined position, means f0r 'pe1mttng rotary motion of sad piston rod when in its outermost positon, and an adjustable valve for permtting controlled passage of air nto and out of the cylinder, thereby cushoning the movement of sad piston, sad means for permttng rotation including oppositely disposed longtudnal projections on sad piston rod, oppostely dsposed grooves in sad one end of sad cylnder slidably receivng sad projectons, a pair of spiral seats extendng from the outer ends of sad grooves for permttng lmted rotat0n of sad piston, thereby permitting sad bracket and piston rod to be dsconnected, sad seats retaning sad piston rod in extended and orientated postion for receiving the bar in the spiral slot when the bracket and piston rod are moved toward each other.

6. A control for a pair of relatvely movable members comprising a cylnder attached to one of sad members, a piston slidably mounted in sad cylinder, a piston rod extending longitudinally through one end cf sad cylnder and rigid wth sad piston, a bracket monnted on the other of sad members, means detachably interconnectng the outer end of sad piston rod and sad bracket fox regulating the rate of movement during a portion of the relative movement therebetween, sad nterconnectng means including a transverse spiral slot in the outer end of the piston rod and a transverse bar on sad bracket and positoned in the bottom of sad slot when sad members are in a predetermned relatve positon, means interconnecting the piston rod and cylinder to prevent rotation thereof during movement of the piston in the cylinder thus lockng the bar in the bottom of the slot whereby the piston w1l be drawn outwardly when the members are nitally moved relatively to its outermost position wherein the interconnecting means for sad piston rod and cylinder is rendered nefiectve, and means permtting rotary moton of sad piston rod when in its outermost postion thereby permttng engagement and dsengagement of sad bar and slot, the withdrawal of sad bar from sad slot during further relatve movement of sad members causng rotaton of the piston rod about its longitudnal axis when the means permitting rotary motion is efectve thus rendering neffective the means interconnecing the piston rod and cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 255,226 Wetmore Mar. 21, 1882 658,533 Schuyler Sept. 25, 1900 890,207 Andersom June 9, 1908 901,511 Winn Oct. 20, 1908 1,149,902 Fairchild Aug. 10, 1915 1,931,178 Car1son Oct. 17, 1933 

